Dreidel, Dreidel
by AprilGrey
Summary: This was for the Severus Festivus Challenge at Veresnas Veneries. It's a Christmas story.


Dreidel, Dreidel

It all belongs to Rowling, except what you don't recognize.

Snape sneered as he watched the faculty of Hogwarts make idiots of themselves.  Christmas cheer was everywhere.  Trelawney was getting tipsy.  Minerva was dancing with Hagrid and Flitwick was showing off his Muggle slight-of-hand magic tricks.  The same crowd that he'd been thrown in with since he had come to Hogwarts to teach, back in the bad old days.  And yet, he felt a sharp pang of nostalgia.  This would be his last Christmas here.  Potter had done it, taken out the Dark Lord and Snape was free, free at last.

He turned on his heel and started to leave.

"Severus, leaving us so soon?"  It was Headmaster Dumbledore crossing the room to him.  Damn, thought Snape, I'd almost made it out.

"Yes, Albus.  I'm a bit tired."

"I received your resignation.  Are you sure you don't want to think it over?"

"It's effective immediately.  I have already supplied you with the name of a replacement."  He was momentarily interrupted by the sound of a crash and "Ho, Ho, Ho," in the background.

"I was never happy teaching, especially not Potions.  My job is over-- it's time to start living life again.  I'd like to travel and try to find myself.  I don't think I can just pick up where I left off."

Dumbledore nodded.  "I wish you luck.  It takes a man of rare courage to be willing to do what you are planning."  Snape quickly wished the Headmaster goodnight and went down to his chambers.

When he got there, he was a bit shocked.  In front of his door was a dreidel.

"Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel,

I made you out of clay."

The children's song ran through his head.

He picked it up and examined it.  It was a large and wooden top with the letters inscribed on its four sides: Nes, Gadol, Haya and Sham.  He wondered who had left it.  Even more he wondered who had found him out.  

He could tell that his wards had been tampered with and he entered cautiously with his wand at the ready.

He smiled when he saw who was there.  Her long black hair was messily piled atop her head and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked at him from where she sat by the fire in the hearth.

"Alicia!" he said and Vector smiled back at him.

"Happy Chanukah!"  She threw him a bag of chocolate coins covered with gold foil.  "Want to play?"

He laughed harshly and sat down next to her on the floor by the fireplace.  He noted that she had brought with her from the party some chestnuts to roast on the fire and two cups of the spiked eggnog.

"Happy Christmas to you!"  He opened the bag of gelt and gave her some of the coins.  "Do you know how to play?"

She shook her head.  "Teach me!"

"Tell me first how you found out that I was…"

"Oh, I have my ways."  She sipped the eggnog and coughed.  "My Gods, what did they add to it, Hagrid's homebrew?"

Snape brought the drink up under his nose.  "It's rum and sherry, not a good combination.  I'd bet two different people added it, neither knowing about the other."

Vector put down her drink and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek  "I hope you don't mind my coming like this."

He looked at her, his eyes dark and unfathomable.  "Never can keep a secret at Hogwarts.  I'd have stopped by before I left."  He added defensively.

She glared at him, "No, I don't think you would have."  She sniffed and he wondered if she was going to cry.  Instead she looked at him brightly, "Come on, you said you'd teach me." 

He picked up the dreidel and explained the rules, "Well first, we need to ante up.  Two chocolate coins should do.  Now you spin the top and if it falls on Nes do nothing.  On Gadol, you win the entire pot, on Haya you take half the pot, but if it lands on Sham you have to add to the pot.  Fairly simply, right?"

They played a few rounds and Snape found himself looking at her more and more.  Why was she there?  It had been such a long time since…

"That's it, you're all out and I win."  She unwrapped one of the coins and triumphantly bit into it.

"I'd say you're cheating." He found himself unable to sneer because his heart was racing.

"No, how could I?  It's a simple game."

"Hmmm. Maybe not so simple, the letters on it translate to Great Miracle Happened There, which refers to the Miracle of the Oil.  Although there was only enough oil to light the lamps in the temple for one day, the oil lasted for eight. The eight days of Chanukah celebrate the eight days that the oil lasted."

There was a silence then.  It used to be they'd be comfortable like that.  Not any more.

On impulse, he bent over to brush his lips against hers.  Though the kiss had been feather light, he tasted chocolate. He was surprised when she then kissed him back a moment later.  He sighed.  "I'm glad you came by."

She looked into the fire and whispered, "I'd like us to start over again, that is if you didn't think it was too late."  

Talk about miracles, he thought as he tried to hide his excitement.  Was it ever too late? 

 "I don't know." Snape mentally kicked himself-- that had to be the wrong thing to say.

She took his hand, "I also resigned.  I felt like it was time to move on, now that the war is over."

Snape felt a wave of vertigo sweep over him.  Miracles… Miracles… He took a deep steadying breath.  "I don't think it's too late for us.  I'd like to be with you, come what may."  Was this really happening?

She got up and slipped off her robes.  She was naked underneath.  He caught his breath.  Surprises, she'd always been so full of them.

She knelt down in front of him and lifted up his robes.  She reached into his knickers and brought him out.  He hardened at her touch.

Just before she took him in her mouth she said, "Very few British men are circumcised, you know."

He let his head fall back and groaned as the hot wetness enveloped him.  "Oy!"

A/N: For more information on the game:

**The Laydown: ******

****

This is a fic challenge for the Christmas holidays.  Snape gets a mystery Christmas card or present or Snape gets caught under the mistletoe (or both).

**The Rules: ******

****

· Must be a female character (OFC or Hermione ok) 

· Any length up to 4 pages

· Must include a kiss 

· They are allowed to have sex - but if it's a student she must be of age 

· Include at least 3 of the following: 

· · Spiked Eggnog

· · Snape wishes someone a Merry Christmas (can say 'happy Christmas', as that's more the British way)

· · Someone finds Christmas decorations of some kind in Snape's quarters (bedroom, classroom, office, etc.)

· · Someone says "ho, ho, ho"

· · A kneazle

· · Stockings hung by the fire

· · Roasting Chestnuts

· · Snape reveals he doesn't actually celebrate Christmas because he's Jewish (in honour of our Jewish list members)


End file.
